“He’s got my contact – I don’t call up. Everybody goes, ‘You should call up and let them know.’ I never did that. They’ve always called me when they wanted me. No one’s called. I’m not counting on it.”

He continues: “They’re using, probably, Tommy. It’s a different band, there’s different people around them, different managers. It’s a whole different family. Then we played with Ronnie – it was me, Tony, Geezer Butler and Ronnie.

“If I was in the band it’s like me, Tony, Geezer and Ozzy. Some people take that as weird: ‘It’s Heaven And Hell with Ozzy.’”

But Appice is ready to roll into action if the call ever comes. “I would love to play with them,” he says. “I think what they should do is have everybody play.

“Bill comes out and plays, then I play a couple of songs, then Tommy as a special guest. It would be cool – this is the last thing they’re doing. There’s so much history. I would be honoured to do it.”

Meanwhile, Appice’s supergroup Resurrection Kings have released a stream of their track Distant Prayer, from their self-titled solo album that arrives on January 29. The band is completed by former Dio guitarist Craig Goldie, Lynch Mob vocalist Chas West and Dokken bassist Sean McNabb. Appice is also working with Last In Line, built from the original Dio lineup.